Speaking to the journalists after an exclusive meeting, which was followed by formal talks at the delegation level, President Pervez Musharraf and Afghan President Hamid Karzai described their meeting and talks as excellent and productive.
President Musharraf said the improved co-operation between intelligence agencies of both the countries was key to fighting extremism and terrorism. "The key to fighting and enhancing our capability against terrorists and extremists is intelligence co-operation. That's the key.
"The two intelligence agencies on both sides must co-operate more strongly if we are to deal with terrorists and extremists more effectively," said President Musharraf. He said besides militarily fighting the terrorists, there is need for effective border control measures to check their movement across Pak-Afghan border.
President Musharraf said his meeting with President Karzai and his delegation was excellent in which they discussed bilateral issues of importance focusing specially on the aspect of terrorism and extremism. "The peoples of both the countries are suffering at the hand of these extremists and terrorists. This menace of extremism terrorism is destroying both our countries," he added.
He said the two countries have strong linkages and bonds of history, geography, culture, religion and faith. "We are like twins. These twins will gain together, will suffer together will profit together and lose together," he added.
President Musharraf stressed the need for Pakistan and Afghanistan to work together for the mutual benefit of both the countries.
The meeting also looked at the regional aspect of gaining through geographic affinities between the Central Asian Republics, Afghanistan and Pakistan, he added.
He said there is a need to co-operate and share in developing communication infrastructure linkages of roads and railway for having "homogeneity of trade and commercial activities between Pakistan Afghanistan and Central Asian Republics." President Musharraf said the importance of bilateral trade and the latest flour crisis, which is also affecting Afghanistan, was also discussed. "Certainly Pakistan would look into how to alleviate the problem that Afghanistan is suffering on this wheat issue."
He said it will be Pakistan's proud privilege to host the next Jirga Commission meeting for which the names will be sent to Afghanistan. President Musharraf replying to a question agreed that suicide bombings on the Pakistani side has increased, as may be the degree of terrorism otherwise decreased.
He further said that besides this new concept of suicide bombing in the country-side, that saw an increase on the Pakistan side, there was an over-flow of extremism and terrorism from the tribal agencies to three settled districts in the North including Swat, Dir and Malakand and five districts in the South.
The President, however, mentioned that Pakistan has effectively dealt with this over-flow of terrorists in Swat area and succeeded in breaking the back of terrorists.
"We have taken action in the Southern Districts also and the situation is far better there", he added. The President, however, noted that the activity of training of suicide bombers and militancy in North and South Waziristan continues, whereas there has been a decrease on the Afghan side.
"There is 42 percent decrease in the Taliban activity on the Afghan side, going from Pakistan", he added. President Hamid Karzai termed the meeting productive in all aspects and hoped that both the governments will be able to pursue the matters that "we have discussed into action and then fruition".
He said the two sides discussed the issues of vital importance to both Afghanistan and Pakistan. "We discussed in sincerity and to the manner that enhanced our understanding of the problems that we have together and of the ways to tackle them".
President Karzai said, "Afghanistan and Pakistan are twins. More than that they are joint at the body, and there is no escape, fortunately, from this reality." He hoped that the two countries can strengthen these bonds and find out all the ways that "we need to find to end the difficulties that we have."
The Afghan President emphasising the need to tackle the issue of terrorism and extremism together said, "people in both the countries are suffering a lot and it is incumbent upon us, the leadership of the two countries, the two governments to find ways to bring peace and stability to each home, each family in both countries and that is the desire of both the nations."
President Karzai further said that he was very happy that President Musharraf was willing to help Afghanistan on the question of wheat and flour, despite the fact that there is a problem in Pakistan as well. He said the two sides also discussed the expansion of relations in trade and transit and the matters in education.
The Afghan President thanked President Musharraf for giving Afghanistan 1,000 scholarships for Afghan students to come and undertake higher studies in Pakistan and also for rebuilding a lot of schools in Afghanistan.
To a question, President Karzai agreed that there was reduced activity of Taliban and al Qaeda on the Afghan side, in contrast to increased activity on the Pakistan side. "That is something we have discussed and we will continue to find out more about it and address these issues together," he added.